Kiln for drying lumber



2 Sheets-Sheet, 2.

RQ RUNDELL. Kiln for Drying Lumber. NO. 2235862. Patented Jan. 27,1880.

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. g E 5 z 6 N. PETERS PHDTOLLITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. n. c.

- PATENT FFICE.

RICHARD J. RUNDELIQOF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

.KILN FOR DRYING. LUMBER.

SPECIFICATION forming of Letters Patent No. 223,862, dated January 27, 1880 Application filed July 14, 1879.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD J. RUNDELL,

of Chicago, Cook county, and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Kilns for Drying Lumber, of

construction and operation of the devices ashereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, A indicates the lower or air-heating chamber; B, the drying-chamber; C, the chimneys; D, the steam-pipes; E, the steam drums or heads; F, the cold-air opening into-the heating-chamber; G, the opening from the drying-chamber into the flue-space; H, additional openings from the drying-chamberinto the flue-space; I, opening for the passage. of heated air from the chamber A to the drying chamber; J, the flue-space; K, rails or track for the trucks or cars; T, truck or car, and L doors.

The body or walls of the kiln are usually made of masonry; but they may be made partly of iron or wood or other suitable material, or of any material suitable for such purposes. They may also be made of any desired length, so as to dry the desired quantity of lumber in I the desired time.

I have shown two chimneys; but for short kilns one will be sufficient, and for long kilnssay seventy feet in length-three will be found advantageous.

The doors L may be of any suitable form, and are hinged or hung or arranged to be raised, so that a car or truck loaded may be admitted.

, The air-heatin g chamber A is provided with a number of steam-pipes, D, which are, by preference, placed lengthwise of the chamber, as shown, and which are connected with crossvided with rails or a track for the ease of getting the lumber in and out; and by loading the lumber lengthwise of the truck or cars, as in the ordinary way of loading for transportation, I can dry any length of lumber without building a wide kiln, as is necessary for long lumber when the heated currents of air traverse the kiln lengthwise.

The upper row of holes or openings, H, serves to distribute the air at its outflow, so as to prevent the air from passing across the kiln too low down, and these openings can be provided with covers, so as to close one-third or one-half or more of them when itis not desired to use the entire kiln, or for drying small quantities in large kilns, and by discharging the air into the common flue J the draft of all of the chimneys will be equalized.

In operation, after the lumber is in position and the end doors closed, the cold air passes in at the opening F among the steam-heated pipes. When it is heated it passes from the heating-chamber A through the opening I in the floor of the drying-chamber B, thence through and around the lumber, and then out through the openings G H H, flue J, and chimney or chimneys C.

By this arrangement of the chambers and air-passages the operation of the kiln is crosswise instead of lengthwise, and I avoid carrying air laden with moisture from one car to another, or from one end of the kiln to the other; and l have found in actual practice that there is a great advantage gained in the rapidity of drying by carrying the heated air across the kiln instead of compelling it to traverse its entirelength, as its action is more direct and the air is more rapidly changed.

I am aware that driers have been. heretofore 10o constructed with separate heating-chambers and drying-chambers in which loaded cars l were run oil-suitable tracks; but they operated endwise, or from one mass of material to be dried to another mass or load. As. the air usually contains from three to five per cent. of moisture, and willonly carry seven per cent. at ordinary temperature, it is important to discharge it as soon as possible after it has reached, or nearly reached, its limited capacity. I obviate the difficulty of passing the air from one car to another by supplying a very large quantity, and by passing the air across the kiln to its exit without having the same air come in contact with the contents of more than one car,

and by directing such contact sidewise against the lumber, so as to give the air-currents the shortest time possible in crossing a loaded car. By this arrangement the air never becomes surcharged so as to impart moisture, and it does not remain in contact with the material to be dried long enough to so nearly reach the limit of its carrying capacity that it will be sluggish in its action; and I am by this arrangement enabled to dry lumber rapidly and thoroughly with the air at a comparatively lo temperature for such purposes, so that I can effectively pass large quantities through the kiln.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the heating-chamber A and drying-chamber B with the air-passages F, I, and G, operating to heat and carry the heated air sidewise across the kiln, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The auxiliary small exit openings or holes heating-chamber into the drying-chain ber, and

an escape, G, on the opposite side of such drying-chamber for the moisture-laden air, whereby the heated air is carried across the kiln without passing from one car to another, substantially as specified.

RICHARD J. RUNDELL.

Witnesses:

L. L. BOND, O. W. BOND. 

